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Dark Breed #2
Bedeviled
bedeviled
368 pages, Paperback
First published December 27, 2011
11 people are currently reading
624 people want to read
About the author
Sable Grace
7 books113 followersSable Grace is the writing team of Heather Waters & Laura Barone, long time critique partners and friends who came together by fluke to discover their voices fit together quite nicely during an experiment of "I'll write the first sentence, you write the next." It was meant to be nothing more than a warm up exercise for each of them to get started on their own projects, but soon, the story became far more interesting than what they were supposed to be working on and Sable Grace was born.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 39 reviews
December 27, 2011
(2.5 stars) At the end of the first Dark Breed novel, Ascension, Kyana turned her witch friend Haven into a vampire/lycanthrope hybrid in order to save her from certain death. But Haven is taken over by the evil god Cronos, who wants to use her to bring himself back to life and usher in his new reign. Most of the Order wants to see Haven killed to end the threat. Kyana is the only one who still believes in her friend, so it’s important that Kyana find Haven first — no one else will ask questions first and shoot later, so to speak. But Kyana is changing too. Artemis has passed her powers on to Kyana, and as Kyana absorbs them, she begins to lose her original psychic link with Haven, and her own familiar abilities are replaced by new ones that she’s not used to yet.
Bedeviled picks up where Ascension left off, and follows Kyana in her race against time to capture Haven before she can raise Cronos. Kyana is dealing with a second struggle as well: her commitment-phobia regarding her lover, Ryker, the son of Ares. Ascension was a fun light read and Bedeviled continues in that vein, with plenty of action and sex, and the book delivers major movement on both the fantasy and romance plot threads.
This time, though, I found that some issues nagged at me. I’m not sure if they’re more prevalent in Bedeviled than in Ascension, or if I simply glossed over them in book one because I was drawn in by other aspects of the novel. Here, there are several problems that affected my enjoyment of the story.
First, the writing doesn’t flow as smoothly this time, especially in scenes where both Kyana and Ryker are present. The point of view will abruptly jump back and forth between them in the middle of a scene.
The second problem is Kyana’s abrasiveness. She’s always been abrasive, but began to grow a little more likable by the end of Ascension. Here, there are moments where she seems to have taken a step backward. The example that stands out to me is her treatment of the witch Sixx. Kyana is rude to Sixx for pretty much no reason — other than that she’s attractive and dating Kyana’s ex — but then is perfectly willing to use Sixx when she needs something from her. It’s annoying.
Finally, Bedeviled just feels like it needs more fleshing out. Things kept being mentioned that might have added depth to the story if they were explored further. Kyana gets a new set of sidekicks as a part of her Artemis powers; they perform one mission for her and then vanish from the story, not to be mentioned again. Kyana notes that she knows some of the Order members who die in a battle, but doesn’t expand upon who they are or even think of them ever again, so the impact of their deaths is lost. Settings are described so sparely that at times it felt like the action was taking place against a green screen.
Again, the Sable Grace duo provides plenty of plot movement, and so far I plan to keep reading the series because I’m interested in where this post-apocalyptic-Greek-gods scenario is headed. However, the series will need some fine-tuning if it is to continue to hold my interest.
Bedeviled picks up where Ascension left off, and follows Kyana in her race against time to capture Haven before she can raise Cronos. Kyana is dealing with a second struggle as well: her commitment-phobia regarding her lover, Ryker, the son of Ares. Ascension was a fun light read and Bedeviled continues in that vein, with plenty of action and sex, and the book delivers major movement on both the fantasy and romance plot threads.
This time, though, I found that some issues nagged at me. I’m not sure if they’re more prevalent in Bedeviled than in Ascension, or if I simply glossed over them in book one because I was drawn in by other aspects of the novel. Here, there are several problems that affected my enjoyment of the story.
First, the writing doesn’t flow as smoothly this time, especially in scenes where both Kyana and Ryker are present. The point of view will abruptly jump back and forth between them in the middle of a scene.
The second problem is Kyana’s abrasiveness. She’s always been abrasive, but began to grow a little more likable by the end of Ascension. Here, there are moments where she seems to have taken a step backward. The example that stands out to me is her treatment of the witch Sixx. Kyana is rude to Sixx for pretty much no reason — other than that she’s attractive and dating Kyana’s ex — but then is perfectly willing to use Sixx when she needs something from her. It’s annoying.
Finally, Bedeviled just feels like it needs more fleshing out. Things kept being mentioned that might have added depth to the story if they were explored further. Kyana gets a new set of sidekicks as a part of her Artemis powers; they perform one mission for her and then vanish from the story, not to be mentioned again. Kyana notes that she knows some of the Order members who die in a battle, but doesn’t expand upon who they are or even think of them ever again, so the impact of their deaths is lost. Settings are described so sparely that at times it felt like the action was taking place against a green screen.
Again, the Sable Grace duo provides plenty of plot movement, and so far I plan to keep reading the series because I’m interested in where this post-apocalyptic-Greek-gods scenario is headed. However, the series will need some fine-tuning if it is to continue to hold my interest.
September 27, 2012
The terribly unlikable heroine killed this book for me. The Greek Mythology is interesting, but otherwise, this didn't have much of an original feel to me, and wasn't groundbreaking as far as female-lead urban fantasy.
Reviewed for Bitten by Books. http://bittenbybooks.com.
Reviewed for Bitten by Books. http://bittenbybooks.com.
August 23, 2020
#25 of my #20for2020tbrchallenge, a challenge to read 20 books from my TBR in 2020
Follows directly on from the first book Ascension (my review), which was a miss for me. This is a better book, but still not good enough to make me want search out the last book Chosen: A Dark Breed Novel, and it's not a keeper for my collection.
The writing is smoother, the plot is more intricate, the world building a bit more extensive (but not very) and Kyana is more relatable. She's in the process of shedding her Lychen/Vampyre heritage (200 years worth!) to become the new incarnation of the goddess Artemis.
She's the closest she's been to human since she was turned so long ago, and that necessitations some adjustments to her former "humans are useless wastes of space" policy.
The reimagined Olympians had a lot of potential which was sadly unfulfilled, as we see very few of them and learn little about their magic.
Ryker is still an arrogant, patronizing jackass, but now he's lovesick as well. He's decided Kyana is his One True Love (maybe 10 years of creepy stalking lets you skip actually getting to know someone?) and will wait forever for her to "trust" him, if that's what it takes.
Since Ryker has decided to work a loophole he made in the deal with Ares and becomes Zeus' Chosen (mainly to piss Daddy off), he and Kyana have their immortality to spend together. Yay?
They have a little more chemistry this time around but theirs is hardly a Love to Last All Time.
The story's focus yoyos between Kyana and Ryker's relationship issues (the main being: "are they actually in a relationship?") and a deadly game of cat and mouse that quickly grows repetitive and boring.
Kyana - who loses her sexy leather pants AND her favourite daggers early on and has to run around barefoot in oversize jeans, oh the indignity! - with Ryker in tow must run around like the proverbial chickens missing their heads, trying to stop Haven.
When Kyana turned her former roommate and best friend to save her life in the last book, it opened Haven to possession by the vengeful god Cronos, who wants to live again. Insane Haven is collecting the four Eyes of Power to work the spell that will reanimate Cronos' long-dormant bones, after which the god intended to wreak vengeance on all of Olympus, and possibly end the world.
Kyana is the only one who thinks Haven can be saved; even Ryker doubts her. This could have been an incredibly poignant plot but Haven's character was so poorly introduced in the first book and is so completely out of control in this one that we can't see the person Kyana is fighting so hard for, which makes the struggle uninteresting.
Also, surely there are more intelligent Dark Breeds in the world? And demi-gods and goddesses? There's certainly more Chosen. Why is everything up to Kyana and Ryker alone? The appearance of Kyana's ex-booty call, the witch Silas, and his new girlfriend (the horribly named Sixx), served only to make Ryker jealous, not give them real help. However, Nettles the elderly Seer was a hoot. A frustrating read, because it could have been so much better!
Follows directly on from the first book Ascension (my review), which was a miss for me. This is a better book, but still not good enough to make me want search out the last book Chosen: A Dark Breed Novel, and it's not a keeper for my collection.
The writing is smoother, the plot is more intricate, the world building a bit more extensive (but not very) and Kyana is more relatable. She's in the process of shedding her Lychen/Vampyre heritage (200 years worth!) to become the new incarnation of the goddess Artemis.
She's the closest she's been to human since she was turned so long ago, and that necessitations some adjustments to her former "humans are useless wastes of space" policy.
The reimagined Olympians had a lot of potential which was sadly unfulfilled, as we see very few of them and learn little about their magic.
Ryker is still an arrogant, patronizing jackass, but now he's lovesick as well. He's decided Kyana is his One True Love (maybe 10 years of creepy stalking lets you skip actually getting to know someone?) and will wait forever for her to "trust" him, if that's what it takes.
Since Ryker has decided to work a loophole he made in the deal with Ares and becomes Zeus' Chosen (mainly to piss Daddy off), he and Kyana have their immortality to spend together. Yay?
They have a little more chemistry this time around but theirs is hardly a Love to Last All Time.
The story's focus yoyos between Kyana and Ryker's relationship issues (the main being: "are they actually in a relationship?") and a deadly game of cat and mouse that quickly grows repetitive and boring.
Kyana - who loses her sexy leather pants AND her favourite daggers early on and has to run around barefoot in oversize jeans, oh the indignity! - with Ryker in tow must run around like the proverbial chickens missing their heads, trying to stop Haven.
When Kyana turned her former roommate and best friend to save her life in the last book, it opened Haven to possession by the vengeful god Cronos, who wants to live again. Insane Haven is collecting the four Eyes of Power to work the spell that will reanimate Cronos' long-dormant bones, after which the god intended to wreak vengeance on all of Olympus, and possibly end the world.
Kyana is the only one who thinks Haven can be saved; even Ryker doubts her. This could have been an incredibly poignant plot but Haven's character was so poorly introduced in the first book and is so completely out of control in this one that we can't see the person Kyana is fighting so hard for, which makes the struggle uninteresting.
Also, surely there are more intelligent Dark Breeds in the world? And demi-gods and goddesses? There's certainly more Chosen. Why is everything up to Kyana and Ryker alone? The appearance of Kyana's ex-booty call, the witch Silas, and his new girlfriend (the horribly named Sixx), served only to make Ryker jealous, not give them real help. However, Nettles the elderly Seer was a hoot. A frustrating read, because it could have been so much better!
Read
July 13, 2012The second installment in the Dark Breed series picks up shortly after the first book. Kyana is losing her Dark Breed abilities slowly, as her goddess powers are slowly taking over. There is a transition period and she is both stronger and weaker during this time. This acclimation period is an inconvenience. She has to find her friend Haven before it is too late.
Her first hunt is Haven. She must find Haven and bring her in for trial. Haven is possessed by Cronos. Cronos wants revenge and will stop at nothing to get it. Kyana’s pursuit of Haven is action packed as she follows a trail of blood and chaos in her efforts to catch Haven without harming her closest friend.
Kyana faces off with Haven (possessed by Cronos) numerous times, too many times in fact. The failed attempts to capture Cronos brought action to the pages the first couple of times. The repeated failures became redundant and made many events predictable.
Kyana’s thoughts on embracing her goddess power contradict her thoughts on Ryker. Kyana is holding on to the thoughts that vamp’s don’t do long term relationships that they are polygamous creatures. She uses this excuse when trying to keep Ryker at a distance. She consciously acknowledges that she is losing her old self (vamp/lychen) and becoming the new Goddess of the Hunt on several occasions in the book.
I was pleased that Kyana still has Ryker in her life. They seem to be trying to figure out if a relationship is a possibility. Ryker is already at this point and he is having patience with Kyana while she figures out what she wants. I think Kyana and Ryker will make a fantastic couple eventually and their journey to that point is definitely an interesting read.
I look back on Ascension and I remember loving the book. I could not put it down. I told anyone who would listen about the awesomeness that was Ascension. I also enjoyed the novella Before the Fall. I hate that I did not enjoy this installment in the series as much as I did the other two. I do plan on reading Chosen. I have gotten too much enjoyment out of other installments in the series not to move on to the next.
Her first hunt is Haven. She must find Haven and bring her in for trial. Haven is possessed by Cronos. Cronos wants revenge and will stop at nothing to get it. Kyana’s pursuit of Haven is action packed as she follows a trail of blood and chaos in her efforts to catch Haven without harming her closest friend.
Kyana faces off with Haven (possessed by Cronos) numerous times, too many times in fact. The failed attempts to capture Cronos brought action to the pages the first couple of times. The repeated failures became redundant and made many events predictable.
Kyana’s thoughts on embracing her goddess power contradict her thoughts on Ryker. Kyana is holding on to the thoughts that vamp’s don’t do long term relationships that they are polygamous creatures. She uses this excuse when trying to keep Ryker at a distance. She consciously acknowledges that she is losing her old self (vamp/lychen) and becoming the new Goddess of the Hunt on several occasions in the book.
I was pleased that Kyana still has Ryker in her life. They seem to be trying to figure out if a relationship is a possibility. Ryker is already at this point and he is having patience with Kyana while she figures out what she wants. I think Kyana and Ryker will make a fantastic couple eventually and their journey to that point is definitely an interesting read.
I look back on Ascension and I remember loving the book. I could not put it down. I told anyone who would listen about the awesomeness that was Ascension. I also enjoyed the novella Before the Fall. I hate that I did not enjoy this installment in the series as much as I did the other two. I do plan on reading Chosen. I have gotten too much enjoyment out of other installments in the series not to move on to the next.
May 8, 2015
Wow! What a world you will find in Bedeviled! It is a paranormal that is truly an eclectic group of mythical creatures, humans, vampires, lychens, and more. It is the coolest place I have been transported to in a mind vacation! Kyana is a strong character who still has insecurities about who she is and who she is to become. To me Ryker is her balance, her other half and the story they tell is just awesome by this reviewers standards.
Matilda
Reviewer for Coffee Time Romance & More
Official Review @ Coffee Time Romance & More>/a>
Matilda
Reviewer for Coffee Time Romance & More
Official Review @ Coffee Time Romance & More>/a>
December 6, 2012
This novel had a lot of running around happening in it. In fact it kept the characters and me on my toes. I did enjoy it but to me it doesn't have that huge 'it' factor that makes it higher than three stars thus far in the series. Which is quite a shame because if it was written a bit different, possibly more 'bad ass' it could have that potential. Other than that it was a good read, it didn't really get terribly boring but there were some definite slow points that made the story drag on.
November 6, 2011
Review courtesy of Romance Junkies: http://romancejunkiesreviews.com/artm...
July 3, 2024
Maybe if it wasn’t the middle of the series and I was a romance reader, I’d like it more. It had potential to be full of dark fun and Greek mythology, but it was mostly romance and self-loathing from a 200 year old vampire in need of a good therapy session. Not my thing.
October 8, 2012
Brought to you by OBS reviewer Heidi
Bedeviled is the second installment in Sable Grace (Heather Waters & Laura Barone)’s Dark Breed series. Kyana has survived her trial and has started the process of becoming a goddess; taking on some of Artemis’s power. She has seven days before she will become a full goddess and will lose her vampyre and lychen abilities completely. That means Kyana has seven days to track down and capture Haven before she will lose her sire’s link to her. Cronos‘s possession of Haven is getting stronger by the day and it will take all the power Kyana has and a few tricks up her sleeve to subdue her.
Then, Kyana finds out that Ryker has volunteered to be Zeus’s chosen and will no longer be able to accompany her on her search for Haven. She will have to turn to an unlikely source for help. And, when they finally capture her, Haven tricks a friend to aid in her escape, nearly killing him in the process. But worse, leaving Cronos in possession of all four eyes of power. Can Kyana stop Haven before she raises Cronos, unleashing his evil on the world?
I really wanted to love this book, but there were a lot of things that happened that were just too predictable for me to conjure any more powerful feelings than like for this novel. I thought it was obvious that Ryker would take the position of Zeus’s chosen after it became clear the job was up for grabs; he’d do anything to avoid being Ares’s chosen. And, now it’s looking more and more like Zeus is his dad making Ares not look quite so heartless. Then, when Haven discovered the psychics were dead I instantly thought she’d go for the seer instead of the oracles. And, lastly it couldn’t have been more obvious that Geoff was being played for a fool when Haven begged him to sit with her in her cell.
I found it a little convenient that all of a sudden all Kyana’s friends are becoming gods, people that would probably never have been good enough before, but now the best candidates are being killed off and the gods are settling for Kyana, Geoffrey, and Ryker. Oh and Silas was forced to hold god power temporarily.
And, this whole hunt for Haven was extremely boring. Kyana would find her and Haven would get away and they just kept doing it over and over again. If that part of the book was more interesting, I probably would have liked it a lot better!
Another thing I never understood was if you know Cronos wants the four eyes of power and already has one, why oh why would you make it easier for him to get the other three by putting them all together? I think they were just asking for trouble from that moment on.
One positive thing with this book was the growing romance between Kyana and Ryker. I loved their intimate moments together and enjoyed watching Kyana slowly lower her guard and realize just how much she truly does love him. I’m hoping that we will continue to see them grow as the series progresses.
“Your house, huh?”
“I’ve seen yours, I think it’s time I show you mine.”
“Ya know, when people say that, they’re not usually talking about houses.”
He chuckled. “Yeah, but we’ve already played that game. We can play it again later, if you like.”
I also really enjoyed the ending of the book and I know it is the main reason that I did enjoy this book. It was unpredictable, which is why I probably liked it so much. I never would have expected Ares to go along to the island to save Ryker and he instantly raised himself on my jerk to dream man scale. Now he’s somewhere in the middle, but we know he does truly love Ryker and there is hope for him yet. And, just between you and me I was right there with Ares when he just wanted to leave Haven stranded on the island. Why risk your own life, when you can’t stop Haven from her mission anyway? But I guess it turned out well for Kyana and now they have their conduits back, most of them anyway. And, there is still hope for Haven as well.
Now I’m ready for the third book of the series, Chosen, stay tuned to OBS for that review, coming soon!
* Please note that this review is based on a free copy of the book sent by Avon/HarperCollins.
http://openbooksociety.com/article/be...
Bedeviled is the second installment in Sable Grace (Heather Waters & Laura Barone)’s Dark Breed series. Kyana has survived her trial and has started the process of becoming a goddess; taking on some of Artemis’s power. She has seven days before she will become a full goddess and will lose her vampyre and lychen abilities completely. That means Kyana has seven days to track down and capture Haven before she will lose her sire’s link to her. Cronos‘s possession of Haven is getting stronger by the day and it will take all the power Kyana has and a few tricks up her sleeve to subdue her.
Then, Kyana finds out that Ryker has volunteered to be Zeus’s chosen and will no longer be able to accompany her on her search for Haven. She will have to turn to an unlikely source for help. And, when they finally capture her, Haven tricks a friend to aid in her escape, nearly killing him in the process. But worse, leaving Cronos in possession of all four eyes of power. Can Kyana stop Haven before she raises Cronos, unleashing his evil on the world?
I really wanted to love this book, but there were a lot of things that happened that were just too predictable for me to conjure any more powerful feelings than like for this novel. I thought it was obvious that Ryker would take the position of Zeus’s chosen after it became clear the job was up for grabs; he’d do anything to avoid being Ares’s chosen. And, now it’s looking more and more like Zeus is his dad making Ares not look quite so heartless. Then, when Haven discovered the psychics were dead I instantly thought she’d go for the seer instead of the oracles. And, lastly it couldn’t have been more obvious that Geoff was being played for a fool when Haven begged him to sit with her in her cell.
I found it a little convenient that all of a sudden all Kyana’s friends are becoming gods, people that would probably never have been good enough before, but now the best candidates are being killed off and the gods are settling for Kyana, Geoffrey, and Ryker. Oh and Silas was forced to hold god power temporarily.
And, this whole hunt for Haven was extremely boring. Kyana would find her and Haven would get away and they just kept doing it over and over again. If that part of the book was more interesting, I probably would have liked it a lot better!
Another thing I never understood was if you know Cronos wants the four eyes of power and already has one, why oh why would you make it easier for him to get the other three by putting them all together? I think they were just asking for trouble from that moment on.
One positive thing with this book was the growing romance between Kyana and Ryker. I loved their intimate moments together and enjoyed watching Kyana slowly lower her guard and realize just how much she truly does love him. I’m hoping that we will continue to see them grow as the series progresses.
“Your house, huh?”
“I’ve seen yours, I think it’s time I show you mine.”
“Ya know, when people say that, they’re not usually talking about houses.”
He chuckled. “Yeah, but we’ve already played that game. We can play it again later, if you like.”
I also really enjoyed the ending of the book and I know it is the main reason that I did enjoy this book. It was unpredictable, which is why I probably liked it so much. I never would have expected Ares to go along to the island to save Ryker and he instantly raised himself on my jerk to dream man scale. Now he’s somewhere in the middle, but we know he does truly love Ryker and there is hope for him yet. And, just between you and me I was right there with Ares when he just wanted to leave Haven stranded on the island. Why risk your own life, when you can’t stop Haven from her mission anyway? But I guess it turned out well for Kyana and now they have their conduits back, most of them anyway. And, there is still hope for Haven as well.
Now I’m ready for the third book of the series, Chosen, stay tuned to OBS for that review, coming soon!
* Please note that this review is based on a free copy of the book sent by Avon/HarperCollins.
http://openbooksociety.com/article/be...
October 4, 2016
As the short prologue comes to an end, the depravities begotten upon Haven by ill fated circumstances become as apparent as is Cronos' presence in her: revealing the apt naming of the book, Bedeviled. Like Haven, Kyana too must become acquainted with the new abilities thrust upon her. Whilst Ky's were voluntarily and necessarily entered into, they nonetheless see an ending of the old, replacement by the new; those of the Goddess of the Hunt. With Haven already having possession of one of the four Eyes of Power, necessary for a resurrection of Cronos, the initial expectations of seven days may now be too long.
The changes, as witnessed and apprised by Ryker, are more than just magical; they're physical and ephemeral. Ky begins to take on some of the physical characteristics of Artemis which in turn changes the ways she carries herself. Whether agreed with or not Ryker would deem her made for the role. With these peripheral changes the core of the person who his Ky isn't as markedly different, although the weight of her new responsibilities and the need to ameliorate affects of her recent poor choices, do see some differences arise. Less able to deny or simply bypass her moral standings and strong emotional distress, Ky is constantly in a state of flux. Denial is still her go-to reaction but her ability to maintain such stances is being wittled away.
Action and reaction, contemplation and prediction, are the paramount components of the mouse chase and trap, that is the nature of this story. Haven, acting as the avatar for the still incorporeal Cronos, shows time and again how having the experience of Cronos' millennia upon millennia lifetimes, does to Haven's planning. Whilst Ky and her associates work at counteracting the next step in Haven's plans, Haven is working towards the second and third steps ahead of these.
Forever chasing their proverbial tails, doubt continues to build as to whether our allies are sufficiently equipped to stop Cronos' goals. It is evident that perhaps new blood is metaphorically necessary if the gods and goddesses are to prevent their demise. Getting Haven back from the clutches of Cronos, whilst stopping his rising may be the ultimate goal; but what if the two are mutually exclusive, leaving only a single option for getting her back?
Whereas the prequel novella and book one, Before the Fall and Ascension respectively, oozed action and suspense, this addition to the series continues those trends but also adds a greater amount of introspective reflection. Not to indicate any negativity toward said developments, there appears to be a greater focus on the emotional aspects of the storylines. Of course, this is a necessary component of the tangible events taking place in the plot, however it does feel as though Sable has zoomed in more on the emotionally charged characteristics, more so than was encountered in previous books.
The near constant turmoil faced by the leading protagonists, Ky and Ryker, and their reflections on these are embedded into the storylines in a more microscopic manner in Bedeviled. The technicalities of the way the story is being told promotes a greater degree of empathy and correspondingly the reader's experience becomes more intrinsic. As one of the many goals of storytelling is to indulge in new and other worlds, Sable can certainly tick off that box. Having only read around a third of Bedeviled before this symbiosis between reader and characters became blatantly obvious, I'd say its fair to admit the success of Sable's technique herein. Just as characters require their downtime to avoid burnout a corresponding trait is experienced by the reader.
The changes, as witnessed and apprised by Ryker, are more than just magical; they're physical and ephemeral. Ky begins to take on some of the physical characteristics of Artemis which in turn changes the ways she carries herself. Whether agreed with or not Ryker would deem her made for the role. With these peripheral changes the core of the person who his Ky isn't as markedly different, although the weight of her new responsibilities and the need to ameliorate affects of her recent poor choices, do see some differences arise. Less able to deny or simply bypass her moral standings and strong emotional distress, Ky is constantly in a state of flux. Denial is still her go-to reaction but her ability to maintain such stances is being wittled away.
Action and reaction, contemplation and prediction, are the paramount components of the mouse chase and trap, that is the nature of this story. Haven, acting as the avatar for the still incorporeal Cronos, shows time and again how having the experience of Cronos' millennia upon millennia lifetimes, does to Haven's planning. Whilst Ky and her associates work at counteracting the next step in Haven's plans, Haven is working towards the second and third steps ahead of these.
Forever chasing their proverbial tails, doubt continues to build as to whether our allies are sufficiently equipped to stop Cronos' goals. It is evident that perhaps new blood is metaphorically necessary if the gods and goddesses are to prevent their demise. Getting Haven back from the clutches of Cronos, whilst stopping his rising may be the ultimate goal; but what if the two are mutually exclusive, leaving only a single option for getting her back?
Whereas the prequel novella and book one, Before the Fall and Ascension respectively, oozed action and suspense, this addition to the series continues those trends but also adds a greater amount of introspective reflection. Not to indicate any negativity toward said developments, there appears to be a greater focus on the emotional aspects of the storylines. Of course, this is a necessary component of the tangible events taking place in the plot, however it does feel as though Sable has zoomed in more on the emotionally charged characteristics, more so than was encountered in previous books.
The near constant turmoil faced by the leading protagonists, Ky and Ryker, and their reflections on these are embedded into the storylines in a more microscopic manner in Bedeviled. The technicalities of the way the story is being told promotes a greater degree of empathy and correspondingly the reader's experience becomes more intrinsic. As one of the many goals of storytelling is to indulge in new and other worlds, Sable can certainly tick off that box. Having only read around a third of Bedeviled before this symbiosis between reader and characters became blatantly obvious, I'd say its fair to admit the success of Sable's technique herein. Just as characters require their downtime to avoid burnout a corresponding trait is experienced by the reader.
July 4, 2012
*Rating* 3.5
*Genre* Paranormal Romance
*Thoughts*
Bedeviled is the second book in the Dark Breed series and picks up pretty much where Ascension left off. It has been two weeks since Tartarus opened up and released Hell on Earth. The human race is in a struggle to survive and only the Order is there to stand up for those who remain alive. In the city of St. Augustine, Florida, survivors are holed up in the Castillo de San Marco where Above, Beyond and Below intersect.
Kyana Aslan, against Order rules, has turned her best friend Haven Monroe into a Witch/Lychen/Vampyre Dark Breed in order to save her life. After being given a reprieve for her actions by the Order, Kyana now needs to track down Haven because she is being possessed by the evil God Cronos who has vowed revenge against his sons Poseidon, Zeus, and Hades. The catch is that Kyana only has seven days to track down Haven before she loses her vamp/lychen abilities in exchange for full time goddess status.
At the urging of Artemis, Kyana has become the Chosen Goddess of the Hunt. Artemis knows that Kyana is the only person who is able to bring back Haven alive so that she can be purged of her Darkness before it's too late to revert her change. Kyana still needs to go through training and get used to things like ambrosia, eating, sleeping, charms, baubles, powders, and potions. But, with time ticking away, those things are quickly put on the back burner until Haven is brought back to face justice for her actions.
In the meanwhile, Haven has lost time and is having lapses in memories that have grown more frequent. Haven would have been Artemis's Chosen one had she not been killed, and then transformed by Kyana. She's now being used as a puppet by Cronos to gather all the pieces necessary to raise him from the dead and bring him back to the throne currently being held by Zeus.
On the romance side of the story, things between Kayana and Ryker are slowing heating up to some steamy sex scenes. Ryker has been in love with Kayana for 10 years, but didn't want to have to deal with the conflicting issues between her Lychan and Vampyre sides. Now, with Haven on the loose and time running out, it is up to them to work together to bring Haven back before Ares trackers kill her.
Quotable moments:
"The compassion she displayed for Haven today, even if it was buried under an exterior of steal, proved she wasn't the hard-ass everyone else saw her for."
"You know," she said, 'if I stay the night I'm going to hate myself in the morning."
Ryker shrugged, the hint of a smile creasing the corners of his mouth. "That's okay. If you stay the night, I'll probably hate you in the morning too. But that's a chance I'm willing to take."
The catch is that Bedeviled is the second book in the Dark Breed series with Chosen to be released later this year (August 2012). Therefore, not all storylines are wrapped up in a nice little bow for readers to digest. That is totally fine with me. You want readers to want to pick up the third book in the series and not just stop mid-stream.
Once again, I have to say I liked the Greek mythology that is at play here in this series. I like the fact that the Gods find their time coming to an end, and have to find a replacement, usually human, before Cronos can kill them off.
*Genre* Paranormal Romance
*Thoughts*
Bedeviled is the second book in the Dark Breed series and picks up pretty much where Ascension left off. It has been two weeks since Tartarus opened up and released Hell on Earth. The human race is in a struggle to survive and only the Order is there to stand up for those who remain alive. In the city of St. Augustine, Florida, survivors are holed up in the Castillo de San Marco where Above, Beyond and Below intersect.
Kyana Aslan, against Order rules, has turned her best friend Haven Monroe into a Witch/Lychen/Vampyre Dark Breed in order to save her life. After being given a reprieve for her actions by the Order, Kyana now needs to track down Haven because she is being possessed by the evil God Cronos who has vowed revenge against his sons Poseidon, Zeus, and Hades. The catch is that Kyana only has seven days to track down Haven before she loses her vamp/lychen abilities in exchange for full time goddess status.
At the urging of Artemis, Kyana has become the Chosen Goddess of the Hunt. Artemis knows that Kyana is the only person who is able to bring back Haven alive so that she can be purged of her Darkness before it's too late to revert her change. Kyana still needs to go through training and get used to things like ambrosia, eating, sleeping, charms, baubles, powders, and potions. But, with time ticking away, those things are quickly put on the back burner until Haven is brought back to face justice for her actions.
In the meanwhile, Haven has lost time and is having lapses in memories that have grown more frequent. Haven would have been Artemis's Chosen one had she not been killed, and then transformed by Kyana. She's now being used as a puppet by Cronos to gather all the pieces necessary to raise him from the dead and bring him back to the throne currently being held by Zeus.
On the romance side of the story, things between Kayana and Ryker are slowing heating up to some steamy sex scenes. Ryker has been in love with Kayana for 10 years, but didn't want to have to deal with the conflicting issues between her Lychan and Vampyre sides. Now, with Haven on the loose and time running out, it is up to them to work together to bring Haven back before Ares trackers kill her.
Quotable moments:
"The compassion she displayed for Haven today, even if it was buried under an exterior of steal, proved she wasn't the hard-ass everyone else saw her for."
"You know," she said, 'if I stay the night I'm going to hate myself in the morning."
Ryker shrugged, the hint of a smile creasing the corners of his mouth. "That's okay. If you stay the night, I'll probably hate you in the morning too. But that's a chance I'm willing to take."
The catch is that Bedeviled is the second book in the Dark Breed series with Chosen to be released later this year (August 2012). Therefore, not all storylines are wrapped up in a nice little bow for readers to digest. That is totally fine with me. You want readers to want to pick up the third book in the series and not just stop mid-stream.
Once again, I have to say I liked the Greek mythology that is at play here in this series. I like the fact that the Gods find their time coming to an end, and have to find a replacement, usually human, before Cronos can kill them off.
December 30, 2011
No one means more to half Vampyre, half Lychen Kyana than her best friend Haven. They have been as close as sisters for years and now Kyana must hunt Haven down after she's possessed by an ancient god who plans to use her to resurrect himself and wreak havoc on earth. Teamed with Ryker, a demigod who's determined to be more than just a one night stand, Kyana has just 7 days before she becomes the new Goddess of the Hunt and all hope is lost of saving Haven.
Review contains spoilers from book one
When we last saw Kyana, she had just given Haven some of her blood in an attempt to save her life. By doing this Kyana inadvertently made Haven, who was already a powerful witch, strong enough for the god Cronus to use to collect the necessary artifacts that would raise him from the dead. Kyana, who is now in the process of becoming the new Artemis, is given a short amount of time to catch Haven alive before she does something that will condemn her to death. Kyana opens up more in this book and I was glad to see that because I didn't think there was a whole lot to her character in book one beyond the fact she was a great fighter. As she talks about how much she loves Haven, her past and any possible future with Ryker, she shows a emotional side that I didn't think was there before and it made her feel less of a fighting machine and more of an actual person.
Her relationship with Ryker is anything but ordinary and I was happy to see that was explored more. Ryker is the son of Ares and is always at odds with his father but does his duty as one of Ares' soldiers. He wants to be more than just Kyana's bedmate but because the scars from her past and her Vampyre blood, she doesn't want anything permanent with any man. I started to get a little annoyed with how they both would go back and forth on if they were willing to try and work it out with each other but once Kyana started opening open to him and Ryker began to trust her more, I saw a relationship that could work. Things will never be easy for this couple which I like because easy and simple just wouldn't work for these two strong minded and powerful individuals.
As with Ascension, I loved all the Greek mythology and variety of paranormal creatures in Bedeviled. The current Greek gods and goddesses' times are coming to an end and some of the Chosen who will take their places are still missing. These Chosen must be found soon and Cronus, using Haven's body, is making this more difficult. Ares, Artemis, Zeus and the other gods have familiar characteristics to them that make them recognizable but each have a little twist to them in this series that made them a different and interesting than what I've read before.
I ended up liking Bedeviled more than Ascension. Kyana was a far more enjoyable character when she opened up and showed her vulnerable side. Her mission to stop her possessed best friend from resurrecting a vengeful god kept me guessing because no one knew what Cronus' next move would be. I can't wait to see what the authors have in store next for this fast paced, well written series. For those who are interested reading Bedeviled, go back and read book one first because there's a lot of back story you'll miss.
-Stephanie
Review contains spoilers from book one
When we last saw Kyana, she had just given Haven some of her blood in an attempt to save her life. By doing this Kyana inadvertently made Haven, who was already a powerful witch, strong enough for the god Cronus to use to collect the necessary artifacts that would raise him from the dead. Kyana, who is now in the process of becoming the new Artemis, is given a short amount of time to catch Haven alive before she does something that will condemn her to death. Kyana opens up more in this book and I was glad to see that because I didn't think there was a whole lot to her character in book one beyond the fact she was a great fighter. As she talks about how much she loves Haven, her past and any possible future with Ryker, she shows a emotional side that I didn't think was there before and it made her feel less of a fighting machine and more of an actual person.
Her relationship with Ryker is anything but ordinary and I was happy to see that was explored more. Ryker is the son of Ares and is always at odds with his father but does his duty as one of Ares' soldiers. He wants to be more than just Kyana's bedmate but because the scars from her past and her Vampyre blood, she doesn't want anything permanent with any man. I started to get a little annoyed with how they both would go back and forth on if they were willing to try and work it out with each other but once Kyana started opening open to him and Ryker began to trust her more, I saw a relationship that could work. Things will never be easy for this couple which I like because easy and simple just wouldn't work for these two strong minded and powerful individuals.
As with Ascension, I loved all the Greek mythology and variety of paranormal creatures in Bedeviled. The current Greek gods and goddesses' times are coming to an end and some of the Chosen who will take their places are still missing. These Chosen must be found soon and Cronus, using Haven's body, is making this more difficult. Ares, Artemis, Zeus and the other gods have familiar characteristics to them that make them recognizable but each have a little twist to them in this series that made them a different and interesting than what I've read before.
I ended up liking Bedeviled more than Ascension. Kyana was a far more enjoyable character when she opened up and showed her vulnerable side. Her mission to stop her possessed best friend from resurrecting a vengeful god kept me guessing because no one knew what Cronus' next move would be. I can't wait to see what the authors have in store next for this fast paced, well written series. For those who are interested reading Bedeviled, go back and read book one first because there's a lot of back story you'll miss.
-Stephanie
October 26, 2014
Review originally posted on my blog: A Book Obsession..
The last of her kind, half Vampyre, half Lychen, Kyana was forbidden from passing her curse onto another. But in order to save her friend Haven, she did exactly that, creating a monster in the progress. Haven has become possessed by the spirit of the most evil of all Titans, Cronos, and seeks to raise him from the dead. Kyana, as her sire has the only chance at bringing Haven down. But time is running out. In only seven days, Kyana will complete the transformation from half-breed to the Goddess of the Hunt, and lose all her blood ties to Haven. If Haven isn't brought down before she raises the dark God, then all will be lost, with no one safe, not even the Gods themselves.
Bedeviled was all about change for Kyana as she transforms from half-breed to the Goddess of the Hunt. For centuries Kyana has been ostracized for her half vampire, half lychen nature, and despite her determination to use her abilities to help others, she has been greatly disdained by many. To cope she has cloaked herself with a brash and hard as nails exterior, fully embracing the darker halves of herself in order to get the job done. Now however, as her half-breed nature is slipping away to turn her into a full fledged Goddess, her world is being turned upside down. She can no longer hide behind her other nature and it has left her more than a little lost. Even so, she is adapting remarkably well considering the circumstances, and once she fully embraces her new nature, she will be even more of a force to reckoned with. Trust me, that is saying something.
I'll be the first one to admit that I don't always have the best of patience for a slow moving romance. I am such a sap for that happiness, that I always want that instant gratification. However, in this series, I am actually really enjoying the slow build up between Kyana and Ryker. They are both so incredibly damaged, that anything else wouldn't have been stable enough to last. Honestly I love it when both the hero and the heroine are wrecks as it puts them on equal footing, and then can heal one another. Although in this case, Ryker does have a little bit one up on Kyana, as he both knows and freely admits that he wants her, not just for now, but for always. Kyana is much more skittish, but I enjoyed seeing her start to slowly open up a little more in Bedeviled. There's still a very long road ahead, but the two of them seem to be headed in the right direction.
Bedeviled was a really great follow up to Ascension, and definitely kept me more than entertained. The blend of mythologies, from the Greek Gods, to vamps and lychens, and a plethora of other supernatural creatures, makes for a very enriching world, that is sure to please. I highly recommend Bedeviled as it is a very solid second installment in the Dark Breed Series that shouldn't be missed.
The last of her kind, half Vampyre, half Lychen, Kyana was forbidden from passing her curse onto another. But in order to save her friend Haven, she did exactly that, creating a monster in the progress. Haven has become possessed by the spirit of the most evil of all Titans, Cronos, and seeks to raise him from the dead. Kyana, as her sire has the only chance at bringing Haven down. But time is running out. In only seven days, Kyana will complete the transformation from half-breed to the Goddess of the Hunt, and lose all her blood ties to Haven. If Haven isn't brought down before she raises the dark God, then all will be lost, with no one safe, not even the Gods themselves.
Bedeviled was all about change for Kyana as she transforms from half-breed to the Goddess of the Hunt. For centuries Kyana has been ostracized for her half vampire, half lychen nature, and despite her determination to use her abilities to help others, she has been greatly disdained by many. To cope she has cloaked herself with a brash and hard as nails exterior, fully embracing the darker halves of herself in order to get the job done. Now however, as her half-breed nature is slipping away to turn her into a full fledged Goddess, her world is being turned upside down. She can no longer hide behind her other nature and it has left her more than a little lost. Even so, she is adapting remarkably well considering the circumstances, and once she fully embraces her new nature, she will be even more of a force to reckoned with. Trust me, that is saying something.
I'll be the first one to admit that I don't always have the best of patience for a slow moving romance. I am such a sap for that happiness, that I always want that instant gratification. However, in this series, I am actually really enjoying the slow build up between Kyana and Ryker. They are both so incredibly damaged, that anything else wouldn't have been stable enough to last. Honestly I love it when both the hero and the heroine are wrecks as it puts them on equal footing, and then can heal one another. Although in this case, Ryker does have a little bit one up on Kyana, as he both knows and freely admits that he wants her, not just for now, but for always. Kyana is much more skittish, but I enjoyed seeing her start to slowly open up a little more in Bedeviled. There's still a very long road ahead, but the two of them seem to be headed in the right direction.
Bedeviled was a really great follow up to Ascension, and definitely kept me more than entertained. The blend of mythologies, from the Greek Gods, to vamps and lychens, and a plethora of other supernatural creatures, makes for a very enriching world, that is sure to please. I highly recommend Bedeviled as it is a very solid second installment in the Dark Breed Series that shouldn't be missed.
November 22, 2011
If you liked Ascension, I really think you'll love Bedeviled. It picks up right where the last book left off, and takes readers on a fast paced ride filled with action, mythology, great character evolution... and sex. What more could an Urban Fantasy fan ask for?
When we first met Kyana, she was a reviled Half Breed, part Vampyre, part Lychen. But she used her powerful skills to help the Order protect humanity, and fight the threat that the ancient God Cronus will rise again and wreak havoc on the world. But as this story begins, Ky's identity is changing. She is evolving into the new Goddess of the Hunt, which means she is developing new powers, while losing the attributes of her other species. It's a very difficult time for her. Ky's entire sense of self has been wrapped up in being a half-breed for centuries. The change is shaking her foundation.
Add to that, Kyana is searching for her best friend, Haven. The former witch is now a mixed breed, since Kyana changed her over to save her life. But Haven isn't just a powerful, unstable hybrid... she is also now possessed by Cronus, who is using her abilities to help resurrect his body. Haven is a huge target for all the Gods and tracers of the Order, but only Ky is interested in saving her life.
I enjoyed the book quite a bit. The world-building stays true to the first book... and it's a fun mix of demonology, Greek gods, and various supernaturals --ranging from vamps and shifters to witches and zombies. Ky is a very damaged and complex character. And often, her internal struggle is her greatest weakness. I liked watching Ryker continue to break down her walls. Their relationship is changing and growing... and I really like them together. There's also a great cast of secondary characters that could easily support stories of their own, like Haven, Geoff, and even Silas.
Thankfully, this book didn't end on the same kind of cliffhanger the last one did, but there is clearly more to explore in this story. And I want to read it. If the Dark Breeds series is new to you, I strongly suggest you pick up Ascension first to get the most out of this book. 4 1/2 stars.
*ARC Provided by Avon
When we first met Kyana, she was a reviled Half Breed, part Vampyre, part Lychen. But she used her powerful skills to help the Order protect humanity, and fight the threat that the ancient God Cronus will rise again and wreak havoc on the world. But as this story begins, Ky's identity is changing. She is evolving into the new Goddess of the Hunt, which means she is developing new powers, while losing the attributes of her other species. It's a very difficult time for her. Ky's entire sense of self has been wrapped up in being a half-breed for centuries. The change is shaking her foundation.
Add to that, Kyana is searching for her best friend, Haven. The former witch is now a mixed breed, since Kyana changed her over to save her life. But Haven isn't just a powerful, unstable hybrid... she is also now possessed by Cronus, who is using her abilities to help resurrect his body. Haven is a huge target for all the Gods and tracers of the Order, but only Ky is interested in saving her life.
I enjoyed the book quite a bit. The world-building stays true to the first book... and it's a fun mix of demonology, Greek gods, and various supernaturals --ranging from vamps and shifters to witches and zombies. Ky is a very damaged and complex character. And often, her internal struggle is her greatest weakness. I liked watching Ryker continue to break down her walls. Their relationship is changing and growing... and I really like them together. There's also a great cast of secondary characters that could easily support stories of their own, like Haven, Geoff, and even Silas.
Thankfully, this book didn't end on the same kind of cliffhanger the last one did, but there is clearly more to explore in this story. And I want to read it. If the Dark Breeds series is new to you, I strongly suggest you pick up Ascension first to get the most out of this book. 4 1/2 stars.
*ARC Provided by Avon
February 8, 2012
The first book in the series, Ascension, ended with Kyana saving her best friend Haven but losing her at the same time. Bedeviled kicks off with a bang, with Kyana hunting Haven down in order to save her. Haven is being controlled by Cronos, the father of all gods, who is using her to help him destroy the gods that imprisoned him and to take over the world.
But there is a kicker; Kyana only has seven days to save Haven. After that, Kyana becomes the Goddess of the Hunt (Artemis) and will lose her ability to track Haven down due to the Goddess mumbo jumbo powers that she will fully inherit at that time.
Bedeviled was thoroughly absorbing and I loved the world building of the book. Ms. Grace has created a unique blend of real and fantasy worlds that are a perfect mixture for any reader to understand. Although her terminology is different, we can all understand the mythological and paranormal concepts, and then how she intertwines these ideas is fresh, unique and appealing.
I also enjoyed Kyana’s transformation from half Vampyre and Lychen to the Goddess of the Hunt and how she faced her past and allowed her relationships to Haven and Ryker to emerge. Kyana’s outer shell begins to be stripped away and a thoughtful, caring, deeply loving and scared individual is revealed.
Although I liked Ryker’s character, I’m not totally sold on him and Kyana as a couple. He tends to be overshadowed by Kyana and she is not a very nice person to him at times and Ryker lets her. At other times, he is totally an alpha male and dominates and over rules her. I’m curious to see how their relationship develops in the next installment and will reserve any further judgment until then.
Overall, I really enjoyed “Bedeviled” and am giving it a 4 flower rating, along with a sensuality rating of 3 flames. If you haven’t tried this series and I would totally recommend it!
But there is a kicker; Kyana only has seven days to save Haven. After that, Kyana becomes the Goddess of the Hunt (Artemis) and will lose her ability to track Haven down due to the Goddess mumbo jumbo powers that she will fully inherit at that time.
Bedeviled was thoroughly absorbing and I loved the world building of the book. Ms. Grace has created a unique blend of real and fantasy worlds that are a perfect mixture for any reader to understand. Although her terminology is different, we can all understand the mythological and paranormal concepts, and then how she intertwines these ideas is fresh, unique and appealing.
I also enjoyed Kyana’s transformation from half Vampyre and Lychen to the Goddess of the Hunt and how she faced her past and allowed her relationships to Haven and Ryker to emerge. Kyana’s outer shell begins to be stripped away and a thoughtful, caring, deeply loving and scared individual is revealed.
Although I liked Ryker’s character, I’m not totally sold on him and Kyana as a couple. He tends to be overshadowed by Kyana and she is not a very nice person to him at times and Ryker lets her. At other times, he is totally an alpha male and dominates and over rules her. I’m curious to see how their relationship develops in the next installment and will reserve any further judgment until then.
Overall, I really enjoyed “Bedeviled” and am giving it a 4 flower rating, along with a sensuality rating of 3 flames. If you haven’t tried this series and I would totally recommend it!
August 21, 2013
I totally loved this book. At the end of the previous book Kyana had turned her best friend Haven, a witch, into a Vampyre-Lychen hybrid to save her life, but unfortunately Haven wasn't overly pleased about that. During her weak state, the spirit of Cronos, the titan and father to the 3 main gods, Zeus, Hades and Poseidon, has taken over Haven's body, wanting her to resurrect him once again. In order for Haven to do this she needs to get hold of the 4 Eyes of Power - one from each of the gods and Cronos' ring.
Everyone wants Kyana to kill Haven, but Kyana still believes that somehow she can save her. How she will do that she has no idea as with Cronos' strength and powers Haven's not one to be overcome very easily. Kyana is slowly absorbing the powers of Artemis and is slowly becoming the new Goddess of the Hunt, so she needs to find Haven before all her old powers have disappeared, as she has no idea what skills her new powers will give her and cannot rely on them until she has learnt how to use them.
Along with Ryker, they set off to find Haven and after a few fights, manage to capture her quite easily. I did think this was a little odd as the main story arc in theory was more or less over at 65% of the way through, but of course it wasn't! I loved all the little twists and turns that I just wasn't expecting all the time.
I love Kyana in this one. She's strong, cocky, but has a soft side that she eventually opens up to Ryker. Now he is one I could have wrapped up in a huge hug for the way he was with Kyana. You could so tell he was madly in love with her, but knew that there was very unlikely a future for them together because of who they were both turning into. I just hope this relationship can lead somewhere for them both.
Can't wait to read the next installment in this series.
Everyone wants Kyana to kill Haven, but Kyana still believes that somehow she can save her. How she will do that she has no idea as with Cronos' strength and powers Haven's not one to be overcome very easily. Kyana is slowly absorbing the powers of Artemis and is slowly becoming the new Goddess of the Hunt, so she needs to find Haven before all her old powers have disappeared, as she has no idea what skills her new powers will give her and cannot rely on them until she has learnt how to use them.
Along with Ryker, they set off to find Haven and after a few fights, manage to capture her quite easily. I did think this was a little odd as the main story arc in theory was more or less over at 65% of the way through, but of course it wasn't! I loved all the little twists and turns that I just wasn't expecting all the time.
I love Kyana in this one. She's strong, cocky, but has a soft side that she eventually opens up to Ryker. Now he is one I could have wrapped up in a huge hug for the way he was with Kyana. You could so tell he was madly in love with her, but knew that there was very unlikely a future for them together because of who they were both turning into. I just hope this relationship can lead somewhere for them both.
Can't wait to read the next installment in this series.
November 12, 2012
This is quite an intense story, full of heroes, fights, friendship loyalty and love. The plot is simple and very well written. A young lady (Kyana), chosen to be the replacement of Artemis, Goddess of Hunt, turns her best friend (Haven) into a Vampyre by sharing her blood with her. That was a desperate solution, as Haven was dying. But that action happens to trigger a consequence greater than she could imagine. Her best friend is possessed by the spirit of Cronos, a vengeful God that is dead, and wants to raise again in his own body and uses Haven as a way of making that possible and Kyana is the only one who can stop that from happening. For that, she can count on the help of some good friends and some unexpected helpers. Ryker is a demigod, son of Ares, the God of War, that is in love with Kyana, but she is afraid of this relationship. He is assigned to protect her and, in case she fails, to kill Haven in order to prevent Cronos from raising from death. But he knows that if he kills Haven, he will lose Kyana's love forever. Geoffrey is another friend, the replacement for Hades, that loves Haven, and is troubled by the development of the situation. Silas is a Witch and ex-lover from Kyana. All those characters are created with full and rich personalities and the plot catch you from the beginning. Beautiful drama, I recommend this book to any reader that loves a well written story, full of twists and with a loot of Greek Mythology. Excellent entertainment, it took me about 13 hours to read the whole book.
This book was written by Heather Waters and Laura Barone and it was published by Avonon December of 2011. Amazon.com was kind enough to provide this product for me through their Vine Program for reviewing and I was not request to provide a positive review. Opinions expressed here are my own.
This book was written by Heather Waters and Laura Barone and it was published by Avonon December of 2011. Amazon.com was kind enough to provide this product for me through their Vine Program for reviewing and I was not request to provide a positive review. Opinions expressed here are my own.
December 15, 2011
I really Enjoyed ASCENSION. I loved all the characters, the storyline, the gods and mythology and I could not wait to get my hands on BEDEVILED. If you have not read ASCENSION please be warned that this review will have spoilers from book 1 in it.
Kyana was a half Vampyre half Lychen and is now turning into the new Goddess of the Hunt. Her best friend and roommate Haven is processed by a god set on revenge, She is fighting feelings for her sorta lover Ryker and on top of it all she once again is expected to save humanity.
In the beginning of book 1 Kyana was very competitive and extremely arrogant and set in her ways. Kyana had to learn to work with others and let others take the lead. She made mistakes but did things in the end with the best intentions in mind. Kyana is determined to save her best friend Haven from the evil that is taking her over. Throughout BEDEVILED Kyana is plagued with inner struggles as she loses the parts of herself she has always fallen back on. The sexual tension between Kyana and Ryker continues to be high and frustrating. She really does fight her feelings to the end. There is a great deal of action and suspense from beginning to end. The plot is just as good as book 1 and hopefully will continue its awesomeness into book 3. You will be happy to know that BEDEVILED does not end on a cliffhanger like ASCENSION but you will still be left wanting more when its over. I'm not sure what comes next for the new Goddess of the Hunt but I will be looking out for Sable Grace's next release.
Kyana was a half Vampyre half Lychen and is now turning into the new Goddess of the Hunt. Her best friend and roommate Haven is processed by a god set on revenge, She is fighting feelings for her sorta lover Ryker and on top of it all she once again is expected to save humanity.
In the beginning of book 1 Kyana was very competitive and extremely arrogant and set in her ways. Kyana had to learn to work with others and let others take the lead. She made mistakes but did things in the end with the best intentions in mind. Kyana is determined to save her best friend Haven from the evil that is taking her over. Throughout BEDEVILED Kyana is plagued with inner struggles as she loses the parts of herself she has always fallen back on. The sexual tension between Kyana and Ryker continues to be high and frustrating. She really does fight her feelings to the end. There is a great deal of action and suspense from beginning to end. The plot is just as good as book 1 and hopefully will continue its awesomeness into book 3. You will be happy to know that BEDEVILED does not end on a cliffhanger like ASCENSION but you will still be left wanting more when its over. I'm not sure what comes next for the new Goddess of the Hunt but I will be looking out for Sable Grace's next release.
April 22, 2017
Have you ever read a book that you SHOULD love? I should have loved the Dark Breed series by Sable Grace. It has an expansive world filled with Gods and Goddesses and dark breed creatures that bring death and destruction. It has a strong female heroine in Kyana. She has a tough exterior but a good heart deep down. There is a sexy love interest in Ryker. This is the second book in the trilogy and I own the final installment "Chosen". I will read it and enjoy it to an extent like I did the first two. They are just ok novels though. Something just isn't working for me.
I think that the world is so large that perhaps there needed to be more description of it. There should be more explanation of how things in this world came to be. I did read the short story "Before the Fall" and that had different main characters watching as the world changed and the dark breeds broke out of their realm and into the human world. I actually liked that story more than "Ascension" or "Bedeviled". There are too many elements at play. I am not sure if the book was supposed to be a paranormal romance, urban fantasy, apocolyptic novel, or a mythological tale. There are just so many pieces at play that I don't really feel like they came together very well. Don't get me wrong; they are readable stories. The writing style is strong and the imagination is fantastic. Something just is off in the execution of the book.
I think that the world is so large that perhaps there needed to be more description of it. There should be more explanation of how things in this world came to be. I did read the short story "Before the Fall" and that had different main characters watching as the world changed and the dark breeds broke out of their realm and into the human world. I actually liked that story more than "Ascension" or "Bedeviled". There are too many elements at play. I am not sure if the book was supposed to be a paranormal romance, urban fantasy, apocolyptic novel, or a mythological tale. There are just so many pieces at play that I don't really feel like they came together very well. Don't get me wrong; they are readable stories. The writing style is strong and the imagination is fantastic. Something just is off in the execution of the book.
January 18, 2012
Bedeviled was certainly much anticipated and it went beyond my expectations. At the very end of the last novel Kyana had been offered the position as Artemis' Chosen, after her best friend Haven had been possessed by Cronus and turned into a Dark Breed. In this novel Kyana attempts to hunt down her once "sister" in seven days time; the time it will take her to complete her transformation into the Goddess of the Hunt. Though her lover, Ryker, was meant to be Ares' Chosen it seemed in his deal with his father in the last novel, he ends up as Zeus' Chosen when none come forth.
Kyana ends up growing quite a bit as a character and her development was a pleasure to see. Though I don't think she's anywhere as good as she can be; she's definitely on the right path. I do not know whether her growth is due to Artemis' words of encouragement or herself, but it was indeed nice.
Though the characters need more growth-it could be left as is and the author(s) could pick up with someone else-though I really love these so I hope not.....
Kyana ends up growing quite a bit as a character and her development was a pleasure to see. Though I don't think she's anywhere as good as she can be; she's definitely on the right path. I do not know whether her growth is due to Artemis' words of encouragement or herself, but it was indeed nice.
Though the characters need more growth-it could be left as is and the author(s) could pick up with someone else-though I really love these so I hope not.....
April 12, 2013
I started this book immediately after Ascension and I loved it even more. there is a lot of action and changes in there.
Ky has to take responsibility for her actions in Ascension and must therefore find Haven and bring her back. to do that she has just 7 days before she changes completely. the changes in Ky were well done and I like her as much, maybe even better than before.
I loved also it how the relationship between Ky and Ryker developed and how they learned to open up to each other. It was really satisfying. I loved it that the point of view changed between Ky and Ryker (although Ky is much more present and definitely the main character). It is something I often wish for in other books because I think it makes the grasp on the situation/feelings more feelable.
there are some new characters in there which are promising - Styxx is a great addition, Silas was for me a little bit to one-dimensional
the involvement of greek mythology is great and the world-building was very well done.
all in all, 4,5 stars for this book. It is a very good second installment
Ky has to take responsibility for her actions in Ascension and must therefore find Haven and bring her back. to do that she has just 7 days before she changes completely. the changes in Ky were well done and I like her as much, maybe even better than before.
I loved also it how the relationship between Ky and Ryker developed and how they learned to open up to each other. It was really satisfying. I loved it that the point of view changed between Ky and Ryker (although Ky is much more present and definitely the main character). It is something I often wish for in other books because I think it makes the grasp on the situation/feelings more feelable.
there are some new characters in there which are promising - Styxx is a great addition, Silas was for me a little bit to one-dimensional
the involvement of greek mythology is great and the world-building was very well done.
all in all, 4,5 stars for this book. It is a very good second installment
May 14, 2012
I actually enjoyed this sequel to Ascension much better than the first book. That said, I wouldn’t recommend starting the series here, as it definitely is not a standalone novel and without the set-up of the first book, I think readers would be quite lost. So, read them in order for maximum enjoyment, as it opens right where the first book leaves off - and it ends on a similarly open note, so it seems that a third book is planned.
The sequel was not as plagued with errors in point-of-view as the first book, which was quite a relief. It wasn’t devoid of them, but it wasn’t as constant, which helped make this sequel so much more readable than the first book. It didn’t enthrall me, and I still didn’t find the characters to be particularly connectable, so while this was much improved from the first book, I don’t think I will be continuing on with the series.
The sequel was not as plagued with errors in point-of-view as the first book, which was quite a relief. It wasn’t devoid of them, but it wasn’t as constant, which helped make this sequel so much more readable than the first book. It didn’t enthrall me, and I still didn’t find the characters to be particularly connectable, so while this was much improved from the first book, I don’t think I will be continuing on with the series.
January 2, 2012
Kyana saved her friend Haven’s life but in doing so she created a monster. Now she has seven day to undo her harm. After that she becomes the Goddess of the Hunt and her ties to Haven will be cut.
The premise sounded good. What I did not realize was that Bedeviled was the second book in the series and without reading the first book I was lost. I had no connection to the story or the characters. The author has created a usual urban fantasy world with gods and goddesses in addition to other paranormal creatures. The writing is good but because so much of the plot was developed in the first book I just never bought into the action. I did not like the main characters and for me the book was just lukewarm. Sometime starting in the middle of a series makes me want to go back and read the first books. That was not the case here.
The premise sounded good. What I did not realize was that Bedeviled was the second book in the series and without reading the first book I was lost. I had no connection to the story or the characters. The author has created a usual urban fantasy world with gods and goddesses in addition to other paranormal creatures. The writing is good but because so much of the plot was developed in the first book I just never bought into the action. I did not like the main characters and for me the book was just lukewarm. Sometime starting in the middle of a series makes me want to go back and read the first books. That was not the case here.
January 7, 2015
I didn't like this book. I thought it was WAY too far fetched and unreasonable. To many ridiculous things had to transpire to move the plot along. It was all about how evil holds all the cards, has all the power, has all the advantage, and good only has a heart of gold and a lot of luck. LAME. Really lame. It's so tired.
That being said, the book was well written, in my opinion. And I still liked the characters and interactions. I especially liked the end. Wasn't all that sappy shit and a zillion ends hastily tied up. The ending was fitting and interesting. So, for me, it ended on a good note. I will be reading the next and last book. Might as well complete the series. Though, I admit I'm very glad it's just the one more book.
That being said, the book was well written, in my opinion. And I still liked the characters and interactions. I especially liked the end. Wasn't all that sappy shit and a zillion ends hastily tied up. The ending was fitting and interesting. So, for me, it ended on a good note. I will be reading the next and last book. Might as well complete the series. Though, I admit I'm very glad it's just the one more book.
January 1, 2012
I love Kyana and it was fun to watch her go through her change from bad ass vampyre/lychen hybrid to the new Goddess of the Hunt. As much as I enjoyed Ascension, I liked Bedeviled even more. The character development is great, the action is nonstop, there's lots of turmoil, a seriously disturbed vengeful God, an Irish vampyre turned God that is hotter than Hades, a surfer boy demigod and an emotionally scarred heroine you can't help but love. The Dark Breed series is one of my favorite new UF series that debuted in 2011. I can't wait to see what happens next. I give this book 4.5 stars.
January 21, 2012
The second book in this series, Bedeviled finds our heroes in a world of hurt. Kyana feeds her half-breed blood to her friend Haven (a witch) to save her life although it was against the law. The old gods are failing and their Chosen replacements are being killed off. Avoiding punishment by vowing to stop Haven who now is a vampire, lychen, witch cross breed that has been possessed by Chronos in his bid to get his body back and return to power. Meanwhile Kyana has to deal with increasing feelings for Ryker and how to hunt for her best friend. Another thrilling ride.
December 11, 2011
If you like a story with Vampyre, Lychen, witches, Greek mythology, action & adventure, a bit of romance (and sex) then this book is for you. It's practically non-stop action as Kyana is trying to save her best friend Haven from the clutches of Cronos, who is dead but wants to be resurrected and needs Haven's help to do it.
June 9, 2015
Great sequel with lots of action, danger, and drama. I was glad that Kyana and Ryker started working through their issues. While I like the world building and the mythology, I was hoping for a little more insight. It's a fun series and I can't wait to see how it ends.
October 27, 2011
Review to come...
Want to read
May 4, 2012I just won a copy from Goodreads. Looking forward to reading it. Thank you.
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